Fable: Retold Chapter 3
Road of a Hero The boy became a man. Now just turned twenty one he was ready to begin his journey but a final test needed to be passed. "Before you graduate, there is one final test you must complete. Enter the Guild Wood and go to the log at the top of the hill the test will be revealed to you there. Good luck" the Guildmaster said as Zane walked past him and into the woods and there Maze appeared by the long. "I suppose you are wondering how you pass the final test then?" Maze said. "Yes I really would like to know" Zane said. "It's simple. You must defeat me, using all you have learnt in your years of training. We'll begin with your sword. Hit me, if you can" Maze said. "Okay" Zane said drawing his sword as Maze drew a pole. "HA! YAH!" Zane grunted with each swing as Maze teleported and Zane ran after him. "Your getting better at this" Maze said as Maze made a hit "very good. Now shoot me with your bow. Don't get too close!" Maze said teleporting away as Zane drew his crossbow and looked around and when he found Maze began firing at Maze but only having every arrow but one blocked. "Excellent and finally, cast Shock at me!" Maze said. "Shock!" Zane yelled firing the spell every time Maze teleported away. "That's enough. Yes quite impressive, for a novice." "A what?" Zane said. "You'll find real battles rather more fatal than this but you have passed your final test, and you are ready to receive your Guild Seal from the Guildmaster" Maze said before teleporting away. "I need to learn that spell" Zane said about to head off before hearing a whimpering in the log, "hmm?" Zane then crouched down and looked into the log to see a dog shaking in fear and saw the injury on his leg. "Oh! Don't worry I won't hurt you, man you must have had it rough on your own" Zane said as the dog whimpered again, "come on out, I got just what you need" Zane said reaching into his bag and pulled out a health potion as the dog cautiously stepped out and Zane pouted some on the potion into his hand and held it to the dog who sniffed it before licking it up. Zane then watched the dog leg heal before it tested it and bark and wagged his tail in joy. "There we go!" Zane said petting his head as the dog licked hi face, "hey knock it off! That tickles! Hahaha! Hmm you look like a Sparky." The dog then barked his approval as Zane chuckled, "okay it's settled, wanna join me on my journey?" the dog then held out his paw for a handshake as Zane took it and shook on it. "It's settled! Come Sparky time to get my Guild Seal and to get back into the world" he said leaving the woods to find the Guildmaster where he stood before. "Well this is the day, lad" he smiled before noticing the dog but shook it off, "I remember the first night you came to us and look at you now. Maze's faith in you was well placed now come along. The graduation ceremony will take place I the Chamber of Fate, the oldest part of the Guild." Later that day in the Chamber of fate everyone in the Guild stood in two lines men on the left and women on the right as Whisper and Zane stood by the doors. "Let the apprentices approach" the Guildmaster spoke as Zane and Whisper approached walking in the center of all the guild member to the center of the room where Maze and Thunder stood behind the Guildmaster, "for many years now you have worked hard to earn yourselves the title of Hero. Today that apprenticeship end and you go out into the world to do great deeds, deeds that will bring you the gratitude of thousands or strike fear into their hearts. These are dark times the shadows of Albion are stirring, and strange winds are blowing your choices, whether they lead you down the path of good or evil, will change the face of the world. Now take your Guild Seals, and venture forth as heroes!" the Guldmaster said as the members clapped and the Guildmaster handed Whisper and Zane their seals. Later Zane changed out of his apprentice clothing and into a new shirt and pants, slight big and held with a belt and finished it up with boots and gloves and meet the Guildmaster in the Map Room. "It's time for you to leave us, lad but you are still very much part of the guild, on the map table you will find details of any quests the people of Albion wish Heroes to perform and you'll need to return often to focus all your experience into new skills. Only by doing this regularly will you advance as a hero, step into the light and I'll show you how to do this" he said as Zane looked at the strange stone circle on the ground glowing with a green light as Zane stepped on the light as all the skills he learned made his physique expand increased his toughness and endurance, his skill, accuracy and guile and gave him a new spell. "There's little else for me to teach you, but I will always be around to offer you guidance and your Guild Seal will allow me to communicate with you at all times you will also notice it flashing when you have enough experience to spend" he said as they reached the front doors, "I have given you a basic pack of supplies, it'll be enough for a while, now there's a whole world for you to explore" he said handing Zane a bag and within it Zane found a lamp, two health potions, two resurrection Phials, one will potion and an apple pie. Zane then approached the map and looked at all the cards on the different locations 'best to start easy' Zane thought before taking the Wasp Menace card then whistled. "Come on Sparky time to go out!" he smiled before pushing open the doors and stepped outside the Guild. "Remember following the gold markers on your map will lead you to your quest objective" the Guildmaster spoke from the seal as a man ran up to the hero. "Wasps are attacking the picnic area! Follow me!" "That was quick huh Sparky?" Zane said as the dog barked and the two followed the man as Zane spotted an old beggar, "hold on a moment!" Zane called to the man before approaching the beggar "Used to be an adventurer, like yourself but look at me now: begging to survive and getting bullied by this brat all the time" the beggar said. "Leave him to me I'll get him to lay off" Zane said. "You must be able to get rid of him somehow. Anything'll do. Use your imagination." "Okay" Zane said approaching the young man, "excuse me." "Look at this filthy pile of rags, he really expects people to give him gold." "Well he's poor, what do you expect how about you please leave him alone?" Zane said. "Well, if you want I'll tell you something that'll really annoy him" the man said. "Okay I tried asking nicely" Zane shrugged before grabbing the man shirt and held him off the ground before throwing him into animal dropping. "URRGHHHH! You're as bad as that stinking beggar! I'm out of here!" the man said running off as the beggar laughed. "HAHA! Funniest thing I've seen in years! You earned my thanks, Hero I'm sure you'll make many friends in your travels, perhaps we'll meet again, Hero" the beggar said. "I'm not a hero yet but here" Zane said giving him a few gold pieces, "go buy yourself something good to eat and use the extra to clean yourself up and get a job" he said before running off to the other man and headed to the picnic area. "AHHH! Wasps!" a woman screamed running past them. "The picnic area this way! Please hurry!" the man said as Zane ran past the gate with Sparky and into the picnic area where they saw giant wasps attacking people and some on some dead bodies. "Oh I hate bugs" Zane said pulling out his Katana. "Help me!" a man screamed trying to fend off a wasp. "Ha!" Zane grunted slicing the wasp in half. "Thanks for saving me!" the man said running off. "AHHH!" a woman screamed running around the mountain with wasps chasing her. "Shock!" Zane yelled zapping the bugs chasing her. "You saved my life! Thank you so much!" the woman said running away. "Seems to be the last of them Sparky" Zane said about to walk away as a large shadow flew over them and Sparky growled. Zane then turned around to see a massive wasp spin in a circle and made three new wasps appear. "The Wasp Queen!" Zane said slashing the new wasps before charging at the massive queen wasp as it flew away from him. "Your bow may prove useful against the Wasp Queen." The Guildmaster spoke. "Okay!" Zane said pulling out his bow, "HA!" he yelled firing two arrows. "AH!" the Wasp Queen shirked before falling over on the ground where Zane approached stabbing his sword into it making it stop moving around. People then came down the hill to clap and cheer as Zane bowed. "Quest Completed! New trophy a Wasp Queen's Head, reward money 500 gold piece some renown" Zane said looking at the completed quest card. "You received a new Request Card" the Guildmaster spoke "Maze is looking for you, he awaits for you at the Bowerstone Tower." "Come on Sparky" Zane said as the two headed back to the Guild. Later that day Zane and Sparky walked through the doors to the guild to see a woman in red looking at the map table. "Ah, now this one looks promising" she said to herself before seeing Zane approaching, "oh, hello. You must be the kid Maze is always talking about. Can't imagine what he see in you. Still, I supposed Maze knows best but where are my manners? I'm Briar Rose. No doubt you've heard of me." "You Briar Rose!" Zane gasped in shock. "No time for autographs, I'm afraid. I have to get to Knothole Glade for an important mission. Speaking of which, if you came for a Quest Card, all the best one have gone already I'm sure the Guild can find you something you do though. I hear the kitchens need cleaning" she smiled before leaving and using the Cullis Gate. "Wow what a bitch" Zane said as he went to the Guildmaster. "Maze is waiting for you outside the Bowerstone Tavern" the Guildmaster spoke. "Thanks Guildmaster" Zane said going to the table to see indeed all the best cards were taken, "dammit all" he said heading outside and pulling out his map. "Okay Sparky Bowerstone should be this way" Zane said going down a hill before crossing a bridge and reached the gates to Bowerstone South.